Kite



June 4, 1940. |RV|N 2,203,150

KITE' Filed Oct. 21, 1938 INVENTOR Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to a kite and more particularly to a kite that isprovided with an elevator.

An object of this invention is to provide a knite that has an elevatorcreating a lift for the kite.

Another object of this invention is to provide a kite that has a pilotportion.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, thecombination thereof and the mode of operation, as will become moreapparent from the following description.

In the drawing,

Figure l is a perspective view of a kite with the harness removed.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the kite.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the kite showing the frame and thecords before covering.

Figure 2 has been drawn to a larger scale than the other figures.

In the past it has been common practice to provide a kite having asubstantially trapezoidal shape, with a suitable sheet material coveringmember mounted upon a suitable frame, there being practically noattempts to deviate from this conventional structure.

'In the present embodiment the kite, in addition tothe sheet materialcovering member, is provided with a pilot portion and an elevator,

the pilot portion being aligned with the main body portion, but spacedtherefrom, so as to provide a slot or a gap between the pilot portionand the main body portion of the kite, which slot functions as an airpassage. In addition to the pilot portion, the kite is provided with anelevator united to the pilot portion and extending into the air passage,so that the air passing or flowing through the air passage is deflecteddownwardly, thereby causing a lifting action on the kite, tending topull the kite upwardly. In order to stabilize the kite, it is preferablycurved, or convexed, with the crown of the curvature facing the wind.The slot may also tend to eliminate undesirable eddy currents along thecrown of the kite, which eddy currents may tend to unstabilize the kite.By eliminating parasitic eddy currents, the resulting kite has greaterstability than the conventional kites formerly used. This invention isrelated to the disclosure in my copending application Serial No.185,384, filed January 17, 1938, for Kite, ripening into Patent No.2,134,282, issued October 25, 1938, in that both disclosures include anelevator, creating lift upon the kite. v

Referring to the drawing, the frame includes a longitudinally extendingrib or frame member in and a transversely disposed rib or frame memberi2. These members are preferably held in curved position by a system ofcords |4a., Mb,

Mo and Md, interconnecting the ends of the frame member IE] to the endsof the frame member 12, as best seen by referring to the skeletonshowing in Figure 4. By properly tightening the cords l4 extendingthrough the slots IS in the ends of members [0 and I2, these members'areheld in-a curved relation, so as to provide a curvature, tending tostabilize the kite in flight.

The transverse member l2 has the ends drooping downwardly, the middleportion being higher i-ll) than the ends when the kite is disposed inthe normal vertical position. The kite proper is covered by a sheet ofsuitable covering-material l8, such as paper or the like, extending overthe lower end of the rib- Ill. The covering material I8 is suitablyattached to the cord portions Ma, and Nb and wrapped around orsuitablyattached to the transverse member l2. The covering material l8-has one curved edge and two straight edges. the main body portion of thekite. The structure described thus far compares very favorably with kitestructures used in the past, excepting the sheet of material, instead ofterminating in a point or apex at the top of the kite, terminates in acurved portion.

In addition to this structure, the kite is provided with a leading pilotportion and an elevating portion, which includes a sheet material member20 carried by the upper end of the rib Hi, the cords Mo and Mel andsupported upon the transversely disposed cord 22, terminating in theends of the transverse member I2 and supported at its center on the ribI0. This rib l0 projects through an aperture 25 to permit the rearportion of member 20 to be deflected inwardly, and terminates in asubstantially straight portion 24. The part 20b between the cord 22 andthe edge 24 is angularly disposed with respect to the balance of thesheet material, so as to form a trihedral surface or a trihedralcovering. The cord 22 and th transverse member l2 are arranged in suchspaced relation that a gap or air passage It constitutes what may bereferred to as 26 is formed between the main body portion [8 tor 24.

in the area where the currents separate.

sides of the elevator portion 20b, thereby causing the kite to ascendmore rapidly and steeper. In addition thereto, the elevator permits theuse of a heavier frame structure and heavier materials in the kite,without sacrificing the efliciency thereof, as compared withconventional kites. It has been found that the kite will fly in a muchlower wind than conventional kites. A suitable harness 28 may be usedfor attaching the kite to the cord 30. In order to steady the kite,especially in high wind and irregular wind, the kite is preferablyprovided with a tail 32.

The angle of the elevator 20b may be adjusted by adjusting a cord 34,disposed intermediate the straight edge 24 and a suitable portion of thevertical rib l6. By adjusting the cord 34, the effective opening of theair gap may be decreased or increased.

This kite assembly may readily be sold in kit form, the sheets l8 and 20being cut to proper dimensions, the sheet 20 being provided with asuitable aperture 25, through which the rib It! extends. A reenforcingmember 35 is preferably cemented to the sheet 2!], so as to reenforcethe material surrounding the opening 25. When assembling, the ribs Illand I2 are properly positioned and deflected to the proper curvature bythe cords Ma, Mb, Mo and Mel. 'A suitable brad, adhesive, staple orother fastening mechanism not shown, may be used to secure the center ofthe transverse member I 2 to the proper position on the vertical ribIll. The cord 22 may then bepositioned, having its ends attached to theends of the transverse member l2; but before doing so and beforeattaching the cords Ma, Mb,

Mo and Md, the upper end of the rib I0 is passed through the aperture 25in the sheet 20. After the transverse members Ill and I2 and the cordsMa, Mb, Mo and Md and the cord 22 have been properly secured together,the main body portion of the kite may then be covered by the sheet I 8and the pilot and elevator portion by the sheet 20. These may be gluedor cemented in position. After thus assembled, the harness 28 is securedin position, together with the tail 32, when the kite is ready forflight. The adjusting cord 34 may be eliminated, or it may be adjustedto proper position, depending entirely upon the usage to which the kiteis to be put and the conditions under which the kite is to be operated.

The transverse slot 26 across the widest portion of the kite has anotherfunction in addition to providing an air current acting upon the eleva-Without the use of the elevator 24, the transverse slot 26 functions tosteady the kite.

-By referring to the drawing it is apparent that the transverse slot 26is near the crest of the arcuate portion of the kite, that is, the crestwith respect to the air currents. Without the transverse slot, the aircurrents striking the face of the kite are divided, some of the aircurrents being deflected upwardly over the advance edge of the kite andthe greater portion deflected rearwardly, so as to escape over therearwardly extending portion of the kite.

It is well known aerodynamic phenomena that currents dividing anddeflected in opposite directions, result in a vacuum or a low pressurepoint Undoubtedly, this low pressure area results in eddy currents. Letthat be as it may, the low pressure area along the crest of the kitetends to unstabilize the kite. If the direction of the air changes or ifthe angle of the kite changes or if the velocity of the air changes orif the relative movement of the kite changes with respect to the aircurrents, this vacuum or' low pressure area will shift relative to thebody of the kite. What is going to happen? The kite will then be tossedor heaved due to the change of this low pressure area relative to theface of the kite. When the kite begins to heave, it undoubtedly swingstoo far. Then this low pressure area will tend to correct this movementand the kite will swing back, again swinging too far.

By providing the transverse slot 26 across the crest of the face of thekite, the low pressure area is practically eliminated, if not entirelyeliminated. If there is a low pressure area, it will be defined by theedges or the boundary of the slot. The low pressure area will notchange. It will remain in the same place. Thus, the transverse slotsteadies the kite. This has been found to be a very desirable feature.However, in order to steady the kite, the slot should be placed near orat the crest of the kite, that is, the crest of the kite relative to theon-rushing 'air currents.

1. A kite including a body portion provided with a transversely disposedslot extending throughout the width of the body portion and ahorizontally disposed elevator extending at an angle with respect to themain surface of the kite, said elevator cooperating with-a portion ofthe body to form a trihedral surface, the rear edge of the elevatorprojecting downwardly, said elevator extending throughout the width'ofthe kite for deflecting at least a portion of the air currentspassing'through the slot downwardly so as to provide a differential ofair pressures on the two sides of the elevator thereby lifting the kite.

2. A kite including a convex body portion having a substantiallysegmental spherical curvature, said body portion having a singletransversely disposed slot extending throughoutthe width of the bodyportion, said slot being disposed near the crest of the kite wheninflight so as to steady the kite in flight.

3. A kite includinga frame having arcuate horizontal and vertical ribs,a convex body por tion supported upon said ribs, said body portion beingprovided with a transversely disposed slot extending throughout thewidth of the kite and an elevator associated with the slot, saidelevator extending at an angle with respect to the main surface of thekite, the rear edge of the elevator projecting downwardly so as todeflect at least a portion of the air current passing through the slotdownwardly so as to create a differential of I aligned with the mainbody portion so as to lie substantially in a segmental spherical surfacecommon to the main body portion, the pilot portion being disposed inspaced-relation from the main body portion so as to form a transverselydisposed slot extending throughout the width of the kite between themain body portion and the pilot portion, said slot being disposed nearthe crest of the kite when in flight so as to steady the kite.

5. A kite including a main body portion and a pilot portion extendingahead of the main body portion, the pilot portion being aligned with themain body portion. the pilot portion being disposed in spaced relationfrom the main body portion so as to form a transversely disposed slotextending throughout the width of the kite be tween the main bodyportion and the pilot portion, said siot being disposed near the crestof the kite when in flight so as to steady the kite, and an elevatorintegral with the pilot portion cooperating therewith to form atrihedral surface, said elevator being disposed across the slot with therear edge of the elevator projecting downwardly so as to cause the aircurrent flowing through the slot to be directed downwardly therebylifting the kite when in flight.

6. A kite having a main body portion and a pilot portion, said kiteincluding a pair of transversely disposed ribs one of which isvertically disposed, the other horizontally disposed, a cover for thelower portion of the kite, said cover having the upper edge secured tothe horizontally disposed rib, and a covering member for the pilotportion attached to the ends of the transversely disposed rib andoverlying the upper end of the vertically disposed rib, the coveringmember being arranged in spaced relation with respect to the centralportion of the horizontally disposed rib so as to form a slot extendingacross the kite between the pilot portion and the main body portion.

7. A kite having a main body portion and a pilot portion, said kiteincluding a pair of transversely disposed rib members one of which ishorizontally disposed and the other vertically disposed, at least one ofsaid ribs being convexed, a covering for the main body portion of thekite, said covering being supported by the lower portion of thevertically disposed rib, the upper edge of the covering being attachedto the horizontally disposed rib, and a covering for the pilot portionsupported by the ends of the horizontally disposed rib and overlying theupper end of the vertically disposed rib, said covering having arearwardly extending portion cooperating therewith to form a trihedralsurface, the rear edge of which projects downwardly, said rearwardlyextending portion being disposed in spaced relation from the main bodyportion of the kite so as to form an elevator for lifting the kite whenin flight.

8. A kite having a main body portion and a pilot portion, said kiteincluding a pair of transversely disposed arcuate ribs one of which issubstantially horizontally disposed and the other substantiallyvertically disposed, a covering for the main body portion of the kiteoverlying the lower end of the vertically disposed rib, the upper edgeof the covering being attached to the transversely disposed rib, and asubstantially trihedral covering for the pilot portion overlying theupper end of the vertically disposed rib, the lower portion of the pilotportion being deflected rearwardly and downwardly in spaced relationfrom the horizontally disposed rib so as to form a slot between thepilot portion and the main body portion, said deflected portion havingthe rear edge deflected downwardly so as to function as an elevatorcreating a lift on the kite when in flight.

9. A kite having a main body portion and a pilot portion, said kiteincluding a pair of transversely disposed arcuate ribs one of which issubstantially horizontally disposed and the other substantiallyvertically disposed, a covering for the main body portion of the kiteoverlying the lower end of the vertically disposed rib, the upper edgeof the covering being attached to the transversely disposed rib, atrihedral covering for the pilot portion overlying the upper end of thevertically disposed rib, the lower portion of the pilot portion beingdeflected rearwardly and downwardly in spaced relation from thehorizontally disposed rib so as to form a slot between the pilot portionand the main body portion, said deflected portion having the rear edgedeflected downwardly so as to function as an elevator creating a lift onthe kite when in flight, and means for adjusting the angle of incidenceof the deflected portion.

10. A kite having a main body portion and a pilot portion, said kiteincluding a pair of transversely disposed ribs one of which issubstantially horizontally disposed and the other substantiallyvertically disposed, a covering for the main body portion supported bythe lower end of the vertically disposed rib, a cover for the pilotportion supported upon the upper end of the vertically disposed rib, oneof said covers being fixedly attached to the horizontally disposed rib,the other having the extreme outer corners attached to the horizontallydisposed rib, the central portion of said other cover being arranged inspaced relation with respect to the horizontally disposed rib so as toform a gap between the horizontally disposed rib and said other cover,which gap provides an air passage above the main body portion and belowthe pilot portion.

HARRY J. IRVIN.

